Another World
by Milady of the Valley
Summary: When Jacqueline's plans for freedom go awry, she finds herself in a strange situation. After waking up to discover that she is Mrs. d'Artagnan with two children, she is forced to accept everything at hand and live life as a new woman...for better or worse
1. Prologue AND Ch1: A Journey to the Past

**Disclaimer:_ As much as I wish I did, I did not come up with these characters. All of them, including the settings and Young Blades itself, are owned by PAX TV. What is mine, however, is the complete love of the program, although I am forced to share that opinion with millions of others. I don't mind, though: I'm willing to share this once!_**

**Prologue**

_Gerard has been gone for four months now_, Jacqueline thought, kneeling by her brother's grave. She looked down at the little wooden cross that d'Artagnan had helped her bring over and smiled weakly. At least she still had her friends.

Two weeks later, Jacqueline had been back for another visit to her farm. Only this time, it was for a different reason. She hadn't told anyone of her departure; she just sneaked out of the garrison after dark with the intention of being back before dawn. It's funny how nothing quite turns out the way we expect it to, though.

**A Journey to the Past**

The forest was a dull grey; soon it would be too dark to see. Jacques had meant to be back _hours_ ago. She groaned slightly as she thought about the length it would be until she reached the garrison. Duval would be pissed. D'Artagnan would be, too, she thought, after he got over the initial shock and questioning. She knew she shouldn't have gone, but there was something inside her that would not let it go. She _had_ to see if the stone was still there. It had meant so much to her all those years ago. She couldn't believe she had forgotten about it. The message from the Americas informing her of Gerard's illness brought all of the memories flooding back. She had remembered that day very clearly. It was a Sunday morning six years earlier, right before mass.

**Memories**

"_Come now, Jacqueline! You can't win _every_ match." Gerard whined. "But I can try!" Jacqueline suddenly thrust her wooden rapier forward, its point landing directly in front of her brother's nose. "Ok, I'll yield this time. But only because it's your birthday." Jacqueline smiled as she lowered her weapon, "Merci". Gerard suddenly laughed at his sister. "You're filthy! Maman will be upset with me again if I let you go off to mass looking like that."_

"_Don't call Mere Esther 'Maman', Gerard. She is not our mother." Jacqueline sighed. Gerard realized that she was thinking about their mother again. It had been ten years since her passing, but they both missed her so much. Especially on days like this. It wasn't fair. A mother should be there for her daughter's twenty-first birthday. Now it was his turn to sigh. "I've got something for you." Jacqueline's worried face softened, smoothing out her forehead and showing off too-rosy cheeks. "I know it's not much, but…" He reached into his pocket and began pulling out a chain. Slowly, it unraveled out of his pocket. As the end appeared, Jacqueline could see a slight shimmer. "It was mother's. She had it made into a necklace and told me to keep it safe for you. She thought you might find it someplace else. She wanted me to give it to you when I thought you were ready. She would have given it to you herself but…well, anyway, I have it still and now it's yours." Jacqueline could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "You've kept it for ten years?" "Over, actually. The stone is from the beach on which you took your first steps. You wanted me to get it for Maman." Jacqueline's tears were spilling over now. "But you wouldn't," she remembered, "I did it myself and then you noticed I was walking and began to scream. The other people thought you were drowning or something."_

"_I was still on the beach"_

"_You were ten years old. You got into so much trouble that year that _anything_ could've been happening. I started to cry, thinking you'd been hurt. Father ran over and saw me, too."_

"_Then _he _began to scream!" They laughed at the memory. "Maman never forgot about it. She cherished that stone and wanted you to have it." He attached the clasp and smiled down at her. He placed a kiss upon her forehead, hands on her shoulders, and then looked at her for a moment. "You look like her, sister." She smiled. "Now, let's go. Mother Esther will tell Papa if we are late."_


	2. Ch2: Back To Reality

**Back to Reality**

A loud clap of thunder shook Jacqueline abruptly from her memories. She didn't mind, though; they only reminded her of what had been, what could no longer be. As the rain began to fall, she thought about what might be going on back at the garrison; at her new home. Surely somebody had to have noticed that she was gone. She briefly wondered why d'Artagnan hadn't left to find her. He always seemed to know exactly where she was going, what time she'd be leaving and who she'd be meeting up with – or he'd pester her until he found out. But she had made sure he wasn't following. Even on the muddy track in front of her, the only prints were hers from earlier. Maybe he was losing his touch. Maybe he just didn't care. It wasn't as if she were going to accept any of his proposals, anyway. They were just so far-fetched that she couldn't even take him seriously most of the time, anymore. She shook her head. She wouldn't think that. It was too depressing to think that not even _he_ would wonder where she had been. Plus, why would he choose now to stop? He had been teasing her just hours before she had sneaked out. Could it be possible that, for once, he just didn't hear her? That definitely wasn't like him. She sighed to herself for the fourth time in less than an hour. It was as all of this was going through her mind that she heard it: the sharp snap of a twig. She looked around but the forest and the trail behind her were both empty. At least, the parts she could see in the darkness of the night. Not a soul could be seen. Nobody was crazy enough to be out at this hour. Nobody but Jacqueline, of course, as well as the occasional bandit. That thought made her uneasy again. She continued on quietly, cautiously listening for any pursuers. She slowed her horse to a trot and glanced behind her. Seeing no one still, she let out the breath she had been holding and turned around…and screamed as a figure came flying towards her face.

**DISCLAIMER: Alright Folks, here you are...my second post is here and ready to go. Hope this doesn't TOTALLY confuse you!**


	3. Ch3: Pesky Patrols

**Pesky Patrols**

Jacqueline woke the next morning before the birds. This was not as surprising as it once had been. Her friends were used to the clanging of her sword in the courtyard at dawn. Usually, d'Artagnan joined her, as he did this morning.

"Morning, Jacques! Sleep well?" he shouted from the doorway. She smiled at him. She had been waiting for him. Without any warning at all, she stepped closer, closing the distance between them, her sword coming to rest squarely on his chest. "I see we haven't lost our spunk with all the riding yesterday." When Jacqueline didn't respond, he continued. "I mean, you were gone an awfully long time. And your tracks lead out into the woods. You must have been in a hurry if I didn't even have time to react. You usually aren't so good at discretion. Must have been important business."

"It was." She sidestepped his thrust and went in for a jibe. He ducked and continues on. "It must have been. You didn't even mention it to Duval. I thought that you'd be back earlier, with the late sneak-out and everything. It wasn't much of a secret. You're lucky you didn't have patrol. You would've been in for it then. You should have been back earlier."

"I meant to be." D'Artagnan glanced sideways at her long enough for her to catch him off guard and win the round. D'Artagnan looked down at the point resting on his heart and then back up at her, his face serious now. "Jacqueline," he whispered, "where did you go?" She didn't look at his face. If she did, she would have told him everything. Instead, she stared at a crack in the garrison wall, directly behind his ear. "Why does it matter? It doesn't concern you?"

"Jacqueline, I was worried about you. I can usually tell when you're up to something, but this time…well, this time was different. You completely closed yourself off from me. Did something happen to Gerard? Is that why you had to rush off?" At the mention of her brother's name, Jacqueline looked her confidante in the face. That was a mistake. She felt an invisible force pulling her towards him. She was swimming in his eyes. She tried to resist the urge to blurt out the entire story, but she found that it was too hard. It was easier to tell him everything. And that's exactly what she did.

**Disclaimer: We're back in action! I know that wasn't the best place to leave off at but here is the rest of it. I'm going to add the next couple chapters as well! Smile! You'll understand all soon enough!**

Jacqueline was surprised at the silence that followed her speech. She had told d'Artagnan about Gerard's letter and about the stone, but she had conveniently forgotten to tell him what the necklace represented and why she had to go back for it. Remembering the small crucifix she used to wear before parting with her brother months earlier, d'Artagnan was struck by the importance of jewellery in this woman's life. It seemed that there was always a necklace involved in some sort of life-or-death situation. At least, that's what he figures this to be. He decided not to press her farther, seeing that there was something more to the whole thing than she let on. She took this gratefully and felt herself drawn once more into the deep pool of his eyes. If he noticed her stare, he didn't say anything. D'Artagnan just dropped his gaze and muttered something about getting the patrol over with before his date with a bowl of steaming coffee.

Jacqueline and d'Artagnan rode on in silence for half an hour, both looking as if they had something to say, neither saying it. After about another five minutes, d'Artagnan broke the silence. "So what exactly did the letter say?" Jacqueline was startled by the sudden noise, but regained her composure long enough to catch the worried look he had on his face. He still was not looking at her, but at least this was a start. She hated awkward moments…especially awkward moments with d'Artagnan. She thought about the short message that had been sent on the fastest ship from the Americas to Paris only two days before:

_To Whom It May Concern:_

_One, Gerard Roget is currently in the care of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart in Joshford Front. After several days of suffering from a high fever and dizzy spells, we fear the worst. We would like to send our regrets that we could not get the news to you sooner, however, we hope that this arrives in time for you to see him one last time. M. Roget sends his warmest wishes and we look forward to your presence soon._

_Dr. Howald Jacobson_

_Immaculate Heart Medical Centre._

She had read that letter over and over at least two dozen times. Every time it seemed to grow more and more far-fetched. She didn't want to believe that Gerard had escaped Mazarin's tyranny in Paris, just to die alone in an unfamiliar land. She could feel tears in her eyes once more, giving her feelings away. D'Artagnan noticed this and his heart melted as it did every time Jacqueline acted feminine rather than her male alter ego, Jacques LePont. He didn't say anything more, but she could tell he had more questions. She brushed away the wetness and sat up straighter in the saddle. She couldn't break down in front of d'Artagnan. If she did, she knew she would find herself in a compromising situation.

She was surprised when her companion suddenly slowed to a stop by the stream. He motioned for her to dismount and he led her over to the bank. They sat down at the edge of the water and stared off into the distance.

"If you need to see him, Jacqueline, you know I'll cover for you. I'll tell Duval that you need some time off or something and you can go up there for a few weeks. He doesn't need to hear about this, but I really think that you should be with your brother right now. You might not get another chance, you know." D'Artagnan's voice was serious and his face held an emotion she had never seen on him before. It was a cross between concern and determination. She knew that he was right, but she didn't think she could go. Not while she was still being hunted by the Cardinal's guards.

"D'Artagnan, I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to guilt me into reconsidering. I can't though. You know I can't. It would draw too much attention. How many women do you know that travel alone on ships to another country?" She asked his raised eyebrows. "D'Artagnan, as much as I want to see my brother, I can't. Of course I am aware that I may never see him again, but I knew that from the very beginning. Besides, Mazarin would find it suspicious when a lone woman boards a large ship the same day one of us 'pesky musketeers' goes missing. An AWOL musketeer never goes by undetected." D'Artagnan knew what she was trying to do and he'd have none of it. "Jacqueline, stop trying to convince yourself not to go. I'll bind and gag you if I have to, but either way, you're going." She started to say something else but his look silenced her. By the end of the week, Jacqueline would be on her way to the Americas, safe at last.


	4. Ch4: Haunted by the Future

**Haunted by the Future**

D'Artagnan woke up some time in the middle of the night. With all of the persuading he had been doing, he never stopped to think about what this would mean. Jacqueline would be free and with her brother, but that meant that she would be leaving the garrison, leaving the musketeers…leaving him. He hated to admit it, but this was the woman he could not deny his feelings for. She had captivated his heart and he knew that he would miss her more than anything else he had ever lost. To lose Jacqueline would be to lose a piece of him that, up until recently, he had thought to be unreachable. After the death of his mother, d'Artagnan had sworn never to let love enter his life again. It caused too much pain. He had thrown himself into the life of his father to avoid emotion, but had found himself diving blinded headlong into a relationship he had no intention of ending. He knew now how much Jacqueline meant to him. All the teasing he had done over the last few months had actually evolved into truth. He never thought that you could fall in love so quickly, or so strongly, but he had. He found himself climbing out of bed and to his feet. He didn't know what he would say to her, but he had to talk to Jacqueline. He made it to the door before he realized that he couldn't do it. It didn't matter what he felt. He was too late. If he told her now, things could only end badly. Either she would deny him and the situation would become so awkward that she would decide not to return from Paris and he would never see her again, or she would return those feelings. But then what? She was leaving in two days. He couldn't make her decision any harder than it already was. Gerard needed her more than he did, anyway. He had sworn to him that he would protect her. By asking her not to leave, he would be jeopardizing her life. She already was in danger of being discovered every day. If she stayed any longer, who knows what might happen? Besides, if she had feelings for him, it wasn't as if they could do anything about those feelings. What was supposed to happen? They couldn't get married. Not while she was still Jacques LePont. And if she became Jacqueline d'Artagnan, Mazarin would surely notice her, as well as her counterpart's absence.

"Darling Jacqueline," he said into the night "what am I going to do without you? I can't remember what it was like without you here in my life. I don't want to. I love you."

Jacqueline was asleep in her room, dreaming about what Gerard would say when he saw her again, what it would be like to be free in another land. Another land, not this one. That was the part she was having trouble with. She wanted to be free, of course she did. And she wanted to be with Gerard more than anything else. But more that anyone else? Her thoughts shifted to the man in the room down the hall. He had been there for her even when she hadn't wanted him to be these last few months. They had fought so much in the first days before he knew her secret. From there they had become great friends. It wasn't long before him and the other musketeers welcomed her into their 'family' of 'brothers'. She had grown so close to them. D'Artagnan was like a wall for her. He shielded her from everything, but had footholds for her to climb in order to see what lay ahead: the goodness, the friendships, and the freedom she never had expected to get. How could she leave him behind? She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. She didn't know what she had expected to happen. She knew that there was a chance that she may never have been set free, but she had been content as she was. Now everything was different. She had never thought about a possible future with the man who had saved her life in more ways than anyone could ever imagine, but now that there was no way anything _could_ evolve, she found herself wishing that everything were different again. If Mazarin had just picked some other poor farmer to bother, her father would be alive, Gerard would be safe in Paris, and she would no longer be a fugitive…but no. If none of that had happened, she wouldn't have met him in the first place. Was it wrong that she felt such happiness and such sadness all at once? After she had lost her family, Jacqueline had thought never to love anyone. She thought only about life after brining Mazarin to justice. For a long time, she dedicated her life to his death, not seeing those around her. When she had finally let these men into her life, she could no longer let them go. Siroc, Ramon, Duval…d'Artagnan. These men meant everything to her, and now she was being forced to leave them forever. But what else could she do? Gerard needed her and she wanted to be by his side. She _had_ to go to him. She told herself that she would see these men again someday, but she knew that once she had her freedom, she would never come back. As much as that pained her, she knew that this was something she had to do.

She focused her thoughts on her future as a free woman instead. She could be a woman again, no more hiding behind 'Jacques LePont'. She was free to have a real relationship, get married have kids…she wanted _his _kids. She couldn't get him out of her mind. She had known for some time that there were feelings brewing within her, but she tried so hard to deny them. Now she couldn't. Now she would run. From Mazarin, from her feelings, from him. As hard as it was going to be, she was going to do it. She had to do it. For Gerard, for herself, even for d'Artagnan. If she didn't get away from Paris and _live_, everything he had done would have been for naught. She couldn't do that to him; she couldn't stay here and endanger his life even more than she already had. She had made up her mind. She had to get away – she had to get away from him.


	5. Ch5: Bittersweet

**Bitter Sweet**

Have you ever experienced that feeling when you had to do something you didn't want to? If not, I'll explain how Jacqueline felt over the next couple of days. It was pretty much accustomed to getting needles jabbed into your arm; it helps you to survive, but it's damn painful. You get a sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach and you get so dizzy that its hard to stand still. Jacqueline found that, no matter how quickly you say your good-byes, they never seem quick enough. That's why she found herself once again standing by the waiting carriage, saying adieu to her closest friends. Captain Duval, Siroc, Ramon, and d'Artagnan stood outside the barracks, wishing Jacques LePont the very best. Jacqueline wished now more than ever before that they knew who she was. D'Artagnan stood off to the side, looking at his feet. As the other three stepped back, d'Artagnan announced that he would accompany the carriage to the harbour in the next town. He was on his way to meet his father across town anyhow. What were a few more miles? And that way he wouldn't need to have an extra horse tired out for the next week.

After Ramon finally let go of her shoulders, Siroc had roughly patted her on the back and Duval had sort of grunted a good-bye, Jacqueline and d'Artagnan jumped into the carriage and were on their way.

D'Artagnan wanted to say so much to Jacqueline but he didn't want to change her mind. Besides, he knew that he could not look at her and only tell her the half-truth. If he'd say anything, he'd say it all.

Jacqueline was in the same boat. Her feelings were all bottled up inside of her, ready to burst out if she uttered even the smallest of words. So the two continued on in complete silence.

That's when it happened. Jacqueline felt herself falling even before she realized what had happened. But d'Artagnan had heard it all: the gunshot, the horses' whinnies, the hooves as all of the horses ran off. A quick glance out the tiny window proved him right. Three bandits took off down the road to Paris, the carriage's horses in the opposite direction. One look at Jacqueline told him that all was far from perfect. She looked up at him and then back down at her own hand. She lifted it to reveal the sticky redness forming below. She shrugged and gave a sad attempt at a lop-sided smile. D'Artagnan was out of his seat and kneeling in front of her before she could take in the situation. "Jacquel-" he stopped when the door flew open and the driver's head popped in. "Sir…is the lad alright?" His tone changed as he took in the scene before him. D'Artagnan swallowed hard. "No. I don't believe he is." Jacqueline watched him grow fuzzier and fainter until she finally gave herself up for dead.


	6. Ch6: One Bumpy Ride

**One Bumpy Ride**

She awoke four days later in a tiny cell-sized room with absolutely no windows and a small door with a round port-glass in the centre. Her first thoughts were not of her being alive. They were more along the lines of 'this is totally barbaric'. Then she remembered all that had happened and realized that she must be on the ship. That was the only reasonable explanation for such utterly revolting chambers. She rolled onto her side and came face-to-face with d'Artagnan's sleeping form. As any sane person is aware, it is definitely bad for the reputation to be found in bed with a man to whom you are not wed. But a pain in her lower back would not let her move. Just then, the door swung open. Fearing the worst, Jacqueline cringed and squinted her eyes tight. Before she knew it, a pair of chubby hands was wrapped around her wrist, pulling her up. "Maman, uncle Gerard told us to meet him at four. It is three and we have yet to view land." A young girl looked at Jacqueline with bright, chestnut coloured eyes, raven hair and a crooked smile. She looked so familiar; like a figure from a dream. But why had she called her "Maman"?

"Fear not, sweetheart. We will see some shortly. You and Gabriel should keep post until then!" D'Artagnan was awake now. He seemed to know this child, and neither of them seemed to mind the fact that they were sharing a bed. She tried to sit up again but the sharp pains returned. "Sweetheart, do not wear yourself out. I will help you. Remember what the doctor said? I know you want your independence back, but the baby will not let you have it for a few more months." D'Artagnan beamed at her. She wanted to hit him, to scream at him. She probably would have too, if she hadn't looked down to where he was indicating. There was a clearly visible bump in the sheets where her stomach should have been. Throwing off the comforter, Jacqueline saw that she was, in fact, pregnant. She paled and d'Artagnan put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Honey, what's wrong? You looked surprised! Is the baby kicking again? Or are you going to deny you're pregnant again?"

"I'm not-I mean, that is, I CAN'T BE!" D'Artagnan smiled warmly at her. "Darling, you've said that the last two times as well. Its getting old and so am I. Let's get out of here and take a stroll on deck, shall we?" He took her by the hands and helped her up and into a robe. He placed a hand on her waist and guided her through the door, further into the unknown.

She couldn't figure out how any of it could have happened. One minute she was lying there in a growing pool of her blood and the next she was lying beside the man she loved – who she was apparently married to. Could it be true? Could she and d'Artagnan actually, finally, have a life a together? And children? It had to be a fantasy. She would remember this. But maybe she wouldn't. She had heard of a few cases, in her studies, where somebody would wake up one day and not remember anything for day or two. That had to be it. It would all come back to her tomorrow.

So the little girl was her daughter. And she had a son, too. Gabriel, d'Artagnan had called him. And she was pregnant…with d'Artagnan's child. She couldn't believe it. Everything had worked out! Had it been that carriage ride? Or had something else happened between them after she left for the Americas? Did she leave at all? She must have, there was no way that she would have stayed and left Gerard to die. But he hadn't died. They were on their way to see him now. That's what the girl had said. Jacqueline wished she knew her name. It would be extremely rude, not to mention devastatingly hurtful, to ask your own child her name. She had so many questions but didn't want to be diagnosed as insane. Insanity wasn't a quality she wanted to see in herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a small boy ran over to them. "Maman, you're not going to believe it! I saw a whale!" So this was Gabriel. He looked a lot like his father, Jacqueline thought approvingly.

"I saw it first!" The girl was back again. Jacqueline now knew where she had seen her before: in herself. The tiny creature had so many of her traits, from the hair to the frown. She even had the stubbornness down pat.

"Ah, my sweet Maquenzie. You both have the eyes of a hawk. Why don't you look for some more? And fish, too. They are larger here than at home." The children ran off, speaking excitedly to one another.

_Maquenzie,_ Jacqueline thought to herself. That was a beautiful name. As if reading her mind, d'Artagnan began to speak of the baby. "If it is another girl, my dear, I propose Lucille or Marie. And if it is a boy, how about Henri?" Jacqueline looked at him a moment and decided to join in. W_hy not_? She thought,_ it looks as though I am here to stay. Why not enjoy myself _and_ my new life?_

"I was thinking something more along the lines of 'Jacques LePont d'Artagnan'. It certainly has a nice ring to it." D'Artagnan laughed, lifted the hand he held, and kissed it. Yes, it seemed as though she was here to stay and she had no desire to mess with God's plans. Not this time, anyway.


	7. Ch7: Too Good to be True

**Too Good to be True**

It had been four days since Jacqueline awoke to her new life and it didn't seem as though anything would be changing any time soon. She didn't mind though. She had d'Artagnan, she had Gerard and she had her children. Everything was perfect, almost too good to be true.

When they had met Gerard at the pier, everything had come flooding back to her. Not the memories of the last ten years or so, but rather how much she had missed her brother, everything they had done for each other, and how much he was doing still to protect her from Mazarin…or had been doing. It didn't seem like Mazarin was much of a key role in their lives anymore. What had happened? How was it that she and d'Artagnan were married, had children and were able to go overseas if she had not been cleared? Was that it? Had she been cleared? Was she no longer a fugitive? Once again, she wished that she could speak to somebody – _anybody_ about all of this. But nobody would understand. Nobody _could_ understand. Everything was great at last and she didn't want to do anything to disturb that.

She looked at Gerard and d'Artagnan now. Both men were laughing at something Gabriel had said to his sister about the baby coming to replace her. Maquenzie began to cry and d'Artagnan lifted her onto his knee. He seemed to be a great father. She only wished that she could remember all that had happened between them. She decided not to think about what had been, only about what _was_. She walked over to the little party and sat down beside Gerard.

"Good morning, sister." He smiled when she came towards him. "We were beginning to wonder if you were _ever_ going to get up this morning. Glad you decided to join us." She agreed whole-heartedly with that statement. "More than you know, Gerard, more than you know." The men seemed puzzled by this, but said nothing. "Maman, is the new baby _really_ going to replace me?" Maquenzie sobbed into her father's shoulder. "Of course not, my dear. Your brother is only teasing." Jacqueline saw that this seemed to soothe the child. She stuck out a tongue at Gabriel, jumped off d'Artagnan's knee and ran out the backdoor to the garden, her brother not far behind.

"So, sweetheart," d'Artagnan said to her as the children departed, "what would you like to do today?" Jacqueline looked into his eyes and felt her heart melting as it always did when she looked at him. "Anything you want, my dear." She heard herself answering. D'Artagnan and Gerard laughed in unison. "Aren't you easy." Gerard said. Jacqueline shot him a look and his smile ceased, although she could still see the laughter in his eyes. "That's not what he meant, darling." d'Artagnan told her. "He only meant that you were being a little more…accommodating than usual. I'm surprised you haven't already written out are itinerary. I don't mean that as a bad thing, either. You were just so excited to come here that I thought you'd have the whole trip planned out." Jacqueline's look softened. She understood now. She figured that she must have been here before, after all, and that d'Artagnan and the kids were visiting for the first time. She always had had the out-of-town visits planned out when she and her family went places when they were younger. She guessed that time had not changed some things. "All I need is something to drink." She had realized that it would be the only thing to calm the pain. "Something unbelievably strong." D'Artagnan's eyes got very wide but Gerard simply smirked. "My dear sister. I see time has changed you very much." He said, contradicting her thoughts. "Maybe you should just lie down for a while longer. The baby must be taking its toll at last." For some reason, Jacqueline felt protective all of a sudden. "It's toll on me? You make it sound like an infliction. I will have you know that being pregnant does not change the way a person thinks or feels. It is not some _disease_." She spat out the last word. Gerard and d'Artagnan looked as though they were holding in their laughter. She glared at them both in turn. "I would have thought that the two of you could be mature adults, especially now. I can see that I was gravely wrong." With that, she stood and stormed out the door. Or tried anyway, she ended up somewhere between a waddle and a strut. She could here the two men laughing uncontrollably after she left and felt herself holding back tears. It was d'Artagnan's voice that stopped her. "Oh Gerard, we mustn't laugh at her. She's right; we should be more supportive. The doctor said that she would be moody now, so close to the birth. It'll only be another week now, you know." She thought that she detected a sort of proud air in his voice. "You're right, brother. I'll go see what I can do about that drink…don't look at me like that, d'Artagnan. I won't make it too strong…alright, alright, I'll get some water." She could sense, rather than see, the look d'Artagnan must be shooting her brother and smiled inwardly. He really was a great man and he seemed to care for her dearly. How had she never seen it before? How was it that they had never known of each other's feelings back in the time she could remember?

She found herself once again trying to imagine all the possible ways the two of them could have expressed their feelings for one another. How they had finally told each other that they were in love, how he had proposed, what their wedding had been like, and their honeymoon. Well, it must have turned out perfectly, if Maquenzie and Gabriel were any indication. Maquenzie looked to be about six and she had overheard Gabriel boasting to one of the neighbour's children that 'a nine year old is a lot stronger than an eight year old.' _He must have been conceived during the honeymoon,_ she thought. She felt the blush warm up her cheeks. Footsteps behind her made her raise her hand to her face indistinctively, as if that could hide the pleasing colour of her cheekbones. D'Artagnan noticed the blush and tried to figure out what had caused it. Was she feeling ill? Normally, he would have asked her what was wrong, but for eight and a half months Jacqueline had been too hormonal to speak about her emotions or personal things like that. Unless she was angry; then out came the insults and the 'pain'.

"Darling," he said instead, "would you like to go for a walk? You might like the fresh air." Jacqueline was about to argue that she didn't need his suggestions, that she could think for herself, but realized that a short walk around the garden might actually be nice. She nodded and d'Artagnan seemed almost relieved. She took the arm that he offered her and followed him out the backdoor. _Yes, _she thought_ a short walk would definitely be nice._ It's too bad that d'Artagnan didn't see this. What she thought would be a nice stroll turned out to be a sort of triathlon. The paths out back seemed to go on forever. She found herself exhausted but wanted so much to explore her brother's property. Not to mention the fact that d'Artagnan's grip on her arm was delightfully comforting and protective. She decided not to let him see her wince and tried to wipe away any sweat that formed on her forehead quickly.

D'Artagnan noticed that she was tired but saw that she was determined to go on. _Very well, _he thought _I shall let her continue on. But we will take the short path. Perhaps she will not notice._ He turned at a fork in the path and steered her towards the left, rather than continuing on straight. Jacqueline realized what he was doing but said nothing. She liked this d'Artagnan. He was still the same man she had always known, but now he was free to help her and he took every opportunity to do so. The old d'Artagnan could never have held onto the arm of his companion, Jacques LePont, without fearing sharp, questioning looks and deep, concentrated whispering. He seemed content and she found that she was, too.

They were almost at the house when she was overcome with dizziness. D'Artagnan had been looking at her non-stop for the past five minutes, as though he knew that she would feel faint any second. He was right. Jacqueline felt her legs give out and his arm shoot out to catch her. Her last conscious thought was that it felt mighty good to be in d'Artagnan's arms. And then she fainted.

**Disclaimer: Yup, she's out again! That can only mean one thing: the end of today's updates. See you all soon!**


	8. Ch8: Blearyeyed Beauty

**Bleary-eyed Beauty**

Jacqueline woke up in a hospital bed. D'Artagnan was leaning over her, whispering something. She couldn't make out what it was. She was too confused to ask, though and didn't think she could get the words out anyway. His face turned from concerned to relief as he saw her eyes open. His mouth formed some more words but still, she could not hear him. The blue walls seemed to grow darker again and she felt as though she were falling through a tunnel. Her eyes closed again and she welcomed the sleep that came.

D'Artagnan was worried. It had been two days and she still hadn't woken up. She had to come to soon or else the baby and Jacqueline could both be in serious trouble. As if sensing his thoughts, his wife's sleeping form let out a soft moan and her hand twitched in his own. Her eyes opened and she looked disoriented for a moment as she took in her surroundings. The yellow-painted walls, the bright green door frame, the wooden table at her feet, and the man of her dreams at her side. She was extremely confused. What had happened to the blue walls? How had they changed colours like that? And Jacqueline was sure that d'Artagnan had been wearing his musketeer uniform. But that was impossible. They had both resigned from their duty when they left for Americas for the first time after the wedding. D'Artagnan had told her that himself. She couldn't remember it, of course, but his words were clear in her mind. And apparently by her side as well. She jumped when she heard her name.

"Jacqueline? Thank God, you're alright. We were so worried." She could hear the fear in his tone. It was the same feeling she had deep within her. Dread. She couldn't believe that she had passed out. She knew that it was not uncommon for a pregnant woman to faint just before the birth, but she was still frightened. She felt d'Artagnan's warm, firm grasp on her hand and smiled. D'Artagnan let out a sigh of relief. He was worried about her. With each of the other two births, the worst that had happened was that she got 'morning sickness' just a bit longer than any other woman did. But she had never fainted before. She could see all of that in his eyes and she squeezed his hand as hard as she could. He smiled and leaned down to softly brush a kiss onto her forehead. She liked the warmth of his lips on her skin and felt herself blushing again. His smile was contagious as well. When his lips stretched across his face like that, it was all she could do not to grab his face and smother him with kisses.

"Jacqueline, can you speak?" She realized that she hadn't said anything since she awoke, but at least she could make out what he was saying this time. She opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm fine. I'm just…tired is all." He nodded and squeezed her hand tight before releasing it and walking towards the door. "Dr. Muir said to tell him when you woke up. I'll be back soon, Jacqueline. Just try to get some rest. Maquenzie and Gabriel will be over in a couple of hours. I'll see you in a moment." He turned towards the door but turned to her before he exited, as thought he forgot something. "I love you, Jacqueline." Her throat tightened when he said this, but she somehow managed to reply anyway. "I love you too, d'Artagnan." He smiled and left, closing the door behind him. _Finally,_ she thought_ I can tell him the truth. I have waited so long to tell him that. I-_ Her thoughts were cut off by a sickening pain in her lower belly. _Oh my God, _she thought when she regained enough composer to think straight again. _It's time._

Where was everyone? D'Artagnan had said he would be right back but that was fifteen minutes ago. How far could this Dr. Muir's office be? "D'Artagnan! Gerard! SOMEBODY! Ahhhhhhhhhh!" She couldn't wait any longer. The baby wouldn't wait any longer. Jacqueline frantically called out every name she could think of that could help. But the person who came through the door next was the least person she would have expected to see there in the hospital. Or the Americas either, for that matter.

**Disclaimer: Sorry to leave you hanging but I have homework to do. All will be revealed in due time!**


	9. Ch9: Unexpected Help

**Unexpected Help**

"RAMON!" When Jacqueline finally got over the initial shock of seeing one of her dearest friends for the first time since she awoke on the ship all those days ago, she smiled and welcomed him in. "When did you get here? _Why _are you here? How are Siroc and Duval? How-"

"Woah, woah, woah. Give the man a break. He's only been sea sick for the last fortnight." A blond-haired man entered and put his hand on the Spaniard's shoulder. "Siroc! I am so glad to see you both. But how…" Siroc smiled at the beauty in the bed and she suddenly realized that she was no longer in a musketeer's uniform. What would they say when they noticed that she was a woman, that she was pregnant, that she already had two children that would be in any moment. But she needn't have worried. Somehow she had already known that they knew, anyway, but it still came as a slight shock.

"Ah, Jacqueline, as beautiful and sceptical as ever, I see." Siroc continued to smile from his post behind Ramon. Jacqueline let her face smooth. These were her friends. She should have known that she could count on them. "We just anchored an hour ago, actually. We stopped by Gerard's place but nobody was home. We figured this was the next best place to look." "Looks like we were right, mi amigo." Ramon smiled warmly at her from the armchair in which he had seated himself. Siroc moved from his side and walked over to the window. He pulled back the curtain with his pointer finger to reveal the hour of the day. She could tell by the amount of light that suddenly streamed in that it was about noon. She frowned, wondering how long she had been unconscious.

"So, it looks as though you are already prepared for the baby." Ramon stated slowly. She could tell by his face and by the way he spoke – or didn't speak that he was still groggy from the voyage overseas. That's when she remembered that she was going into labour. She quickly ordered the men to go in search of d'Artagnan and a doctor and Siroc, only happy to oblige, rushed out to seek out a helping hand. Ramon, on the other hand, remained where he was. A slow in his breath and the little noises he was making with his mouth told her that he was asleep. _Might as well leave him be,_ she thought to herself. _I know how awful those boat rides can be when you're not used to sailing._

D'Artagnan ran in less than two minutes later, Siroc and a grey-haired woman in tow. "Jacqueline." He whispered when he was finally by her side again. He looked over at Ramon and mumbled something about how it was nice to see him again and that he loved him dearly but that he could have done _something_ to help. But he only said it loud enough for Jacqueline to hear and she smiled at him, at how concerned he was about her. That was something else that hadn't changed. She could still count on him to lose his head over anything that went wrong with her. Even when she argued until she was completely worn out that she was fine. He never listened to her then; he was just as stubborn as she was sometimes.

Footsteps could be heard racing towards the room at a great speed. _Maquenzie and Gabriel._ She smiled. The children entered the room not a moment later, not knowing who to run to first. They greeted Siroc and Ramon excitedly and then rushed over to their parents to describe their excursion into the village with Ashlee and Mickiale, the children down the street. Jacqueline was intent on listening to them but the midwife quietly shushed them and ushered everyone out of the room. Jacqueline saw the worried expression on Maquenzie's face as she heard that she was soon going to be a sister again, and Jacqueline called the little girl towards her. "Maquenzie, my dear." She lowered her voice so that only she could hear what she was about to say next "Do not worry. Just because I will have this baby, it does not mean I will love you any less. It just means that you will have to share my love with another child. You're good at sharing though, aren't you? You share your toys with Ashlee, don't you?" The little girl nodded. "Well, this will be the same, alright? I will never love you or Gabriel any less because I have another child. You will always be my baby, no matter how old you are, no matter how many brothers or sisters you have. Come here." She held open her arms and Maquenzie crept into them, holding her mother tight. "Okay, Maq, its time to go now. Say goodbye to Maman and go with Uncle Siroc and Uncle Ramon down to the park, ok?" He leaned down to whisper into her ear. "The four of you can pick some daises for when Maman wakes up." Maquenzie smiled again and whispered to her Papa, "and some lilies for the baby, too!" Then she rushed out the door, followed by her two uncles and Gabriel.

"Now," d'Artagnan turned to Jacqueline, "let's get this baby out of you." Jacqueline frowned again and he laughed. "Calm down, sweetheart. I didn't mean that to be cruel." "Maybe not," she replied "but I still don't want you to be in here." She saw the hurt on his face and stretched out her hand for him to take. "I just want it to be a surprise this time." She didn't mention the fact that she was too scared about going into labour to have anyone else in the room. She didn't know what it was like to have a child, she couldn't remember anything from the days Gabriel and Maquenzie were born and she feared the worst. _That damn d'Artagnan. If he _ever_ gets me pregnant again I'll-_ a signal from the midwife told her that it was time to push and she hesitatingly obliged. The pain seared through her entire body like a knife carving out her insides. She had never felt anything so painful in her entire life. It was like being shot a hundred times in the same spot. _Actually, _she thought with a small internal laugh, _this was worse than being shot._ But the sound that filled the room next was too much of a blessing to continue. At first, it sounded like a tiny laugh, followed by an even smaller wail.

"A laugh," the midwife noted with a grin, "a good sign. A very good sign indeed." Jacqueline smiled and started to get up. "Woah, where do you think you're going, little missy? You still have one more to go." "One more to go?" Jacqueline looked at her incredulously. She couldn't believe that she had just endured all that pain, only to go through it all over again. "Yes, milady, one more to go." Jacqueline groaned and flopped down onto the pillow as the older woman went over to place the screaming child into a crib beneath the window.

D'Artagnan, who had not doubt been listening at the door, had burst in the moment her heard the wails of his newborn child. Jacqueline saw him look up from the baby in the old woman's arms and place his eyes, instead, on his wife across the room. He smiled at the thought of having another child, then frowned at the pain he knew it caused his beloved Jacqueline. But it had been her that suggested having another baby. She must not mind the pain afterwards if she wanted to continue having babies with him. He knew she loved their children as much as he did and figured that she would continue to ignore the suffering she did in order to have more. And this time, more was what she would get. He walked over to her and held her hand, a gesture he had come accustomed to over the last ten years. He knew it comforted her to know that she was not alone and he wanted to make her as comfortable as he could, for as long as he could. He saw the pain that flicked across her beautiful face and wiped away the sweat that formed on her brow each time that she pushed.

It seemed like hours went by when it only could have been about two minutes. The little being's wails were heard at last and d'Artagnan breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned in to kiss Jacqueline and she let him, delighting in her accomplishments. She couldn't believe what she had just done. Not the kissing part, although she still felt shy each time that his lips touched her own. She was proud of herself and dearly wished that her parents could be there to witness such a miracle. Now she knew why her mother and father had loved her and Gerard so much. It was hard not to become attached to some one after going through so much just to give them life. She looked up at d'Artagnan and wondered what she had done to get so lucky. A wonderful husband, four beautiful children, a healthy family. Jacqueline didn't know what to say. D'Artagnan seemed to be having the same trouble. He just starred down at her for so long that she began to feel self-conscious and told him to go over to see what she had had. One boy and one girl, he told her. Just what she had prayed for.

"Now, about names." He said. "I was actually thinking about it and thought that names of my old conquests would not be appropriate for our daughter." He laughed at her expression and continued "I am just kidding, my love. But I still do not think Lucille or Marie to be suitable names for such a beautiful, tiny thing." Jacqueline looked up at him and thought for a moment. "How about Lily? Lily Sarah d'Artagnan." D'Artagnan's face softened and he looked solemn for a moment. "Your mother was as important to you as mine was to me. Maquenzie has my mother's name, Rose, and I think that our new daughter should have yours." Indeed, d'Artagnan remembered signing the birth certificate with the name Maquenzie, as they had agreed upon, and then adding 'Rose' as the middle name whilst Jacqueline was resting. He smiled at the memory and gave Jacqueline his consent in the form for a kiss. "Now, how about our little man over there?" d'Artagnan lifted both of the babies from the cradle and placed little Lily into her mother's arms. He embraced the sleeping boy and held him close, taking in the wonderful scent. He cherished it, for he knew that it would not last long. He had to eat sometime.

"You choose." Jacqueline smiled at the baby she held and then at d'Artagnan and her son in turn. "Alright," he said. "But not Henri. That was a joke. I would never name our child after myself." Jacqueline smirked. So that was his name. Having no recollection of their marriage, she could not have known his name. He had never confided it to her before the carriage ride. That seemed so long ago now. Like a memory from a dream.

D'Artagnan was starring down at the little boy as though he had never seen anything as beautiful in his entire life. She realized that it was how he looked at all of his children; how he looked at her, too. She was suddenly overcome with love for the man who had risked everything, his entire life, for her. He had always been there for her. How could she ever have thought that everything wouldn't turn out fine? Her life was perfect. _He_ was perfect. She looked at him standing there, taking in the sight of his new heir. "How about Noah?" he said at last. "I know how much you like that story." Indeed, it was her favourite bible story. Had she told him about it? She couldn't remember. She felt like crying again. Crying tears of joy at the miracle she had just witnessed, tears of love for the man whom cared so much about her and whom she equally cared for, as well as tears of sadness at the realization that, even after about a week, she still had no memory of her past with her new family. Or with her old, for that matter. How _had_ Gerard survived? That letter had sounded so bad, without any hope at all.

Jacqueline felt herself falling again as she thought this and fought dearly to hold on to consciousness. She was being pulled harder and faster and she felt weak, helpless. There was nothing she could do. She closed her eyes, keeping the picture of d'Artagnan in he mind. Remembering Lily and Noah, Maquenzie and Gabriel, Ramon and Siroc, and her beloved brother, Gerard. She didn't know what was happening, but she did know that there was no way she was going anywhere without her memories. Not this time. She opened her eyes again for one last glimpse of her family before everything fell apart, but she saw nothing. All was black. _This is it,_ she thought _this is what death is like. This time I can't fight it. I won't be coming back this time._ And once again, Jacqueline gave herself up for dead.


	10. Ch10: It's Never as it Seems

**It's Never as it Seems**

Jacqueline wondered why it was taking so long for her to die. She had been lying, surrounded by darkness, for about an hour. She didn't want to be here anymore. Why was God teasing her? He had given her life back, just to yank it away again. Was she only saved so that she could give the twins life? Or did he just do this so that she could see what she would miss out on? She couldn't think that. She wouldn't believe that God was that cruel. There must have been a better explanation than that. She didn't have time for any more thoughts, though. All of a sudden, an extremely bright light appeared, making her squint at the sudden change from the previous pitch black. _Here I go_, she said to herself_ I just hope I was good enough here on earth to be reunited with Maman and Papa._ She worried for a moment that God might have disapproved of her plan for justice but the sound of her name silenced her thoughts.

"Jacqueline." That didn't sound like God. It sounded more like "d'Artagnan?" "Finally. I thought I'd lost you. I mean, _we._ I thought _we'd_ lost you." That was odd. Why did he sound so awkward again? It was almost as if they were simply brothers-in-arms again and not man and wife. Jacqueline opened her eyes again, slowly adjusting to the sunlight that had been thrown across the room and the bed, temporarily blinding her and making her believe that she was finally in the presence of God. She looked around and took it all in; the wooden table at the bottom of the bed, the rose-coloured bed sheets, the blue-painted walls. _Wait a minute. Blue walls?_ Something was not right. She looked over at d'Artagnan and gasped. He looked so dishevelled. His face was pale, his hair uncombed, and his frown aged him a couple years. But there was still something missing.

"D'Artagnan, where are Noah and Lily?" d'Artagnan looked positively confused. "Who? Oh no, Jacqueline, have you lost your memory? Maybe I should get Doctor Joseph back in here to look at you." He stood up and hurried to the door, obviously distressed. "D'Artagnan, you mean…never mind. Don't get the doctor; I'm fine. I promise." He looked a little sceptical, but relieved at the same time. She could tell that he did not totally believe her, but he wanted to. "Wait a minute! I thought the doctor's name was Muir." d'Artagnan looked worried again. "No," he said slowly. "We had to stop at a hospital in Roseburg. You were shot, do you remember? You have been unconscious for about four days. Are you sure you're alright? I really think I should call-"

"No. I'm fine. Really." He looked at her like a parent would a child. A child who had just gotten into big trouble and was now denying taking any part in the charade. His face was stern and unsmiling. She felt her insides crumbling. So it _had_ all been a dream. Gerard, Maq, Gabe, the twins…_him_. It had all been an unconscious woman's fantasy. She couldn't believe it. She was devastated. She had tried so hard to convince herself that she really was living it all, just to find out that it was all fake.

But maybe it wasn't. She remembered something from one of Brother Antoine's volumes. Sometimes, the thoughts we have while we are in a coma were really just visions of what is to come. Not a dream; those were different. Maybe she had been right and God really was testing her. Maybe he was showing her what _could be_ and it was up to her to make her wishes a reality. Maybe it was a sign that d'Artagnan felt the same way she did. But there was nothing she could do about it right now. _I'll tell him_, she decided _but not until I'm boarding the ship. That way, I won't be hurt when he refuses me. I just need him to know the truth._

That's why, two days after awaking from the dream of all dreams and only a day and a half after being released from the hospital, Jacqueline and d'Artagnan were once again on their way to the ship. D'Artagnan had long missed his visit with his father, but he didn't care. Jacqueline's health was more important to him than anything else and there was no way that he would have been torn from her side. Not even an earthquake could have moved him. Ok, maybe an earthquake, but he would have taken her with him, so that didn't count. He looked across the carriage at her. She looked so pretty in her satin green dress and matching earrings. Her hair was let down, teasing him endlessly. He wanted so much to climb over beside her and run his fingers through that hair. That's why he stationed himself across from her. He had thought that it would refrain him from doing anything he might later regret. But it wasn't working. By sitting across from her, he could see her every move. He found his eyes coming to rest on her face so often that he was sure she had noticed. But she didn't say anything. She didn't even look up. She never tore her gaze from the window. She couldn't even if she had wanted to. She wasn't really seeing anything; she just couldn't face him. She knew what would happen, and she didn't want to get hurt. D'Artagnan couldn't feel the same way that she did. She was sure of it. They were almost there, though, and then she'd tell him. At least then she could jump aboard the ship and never see him again.

"Arriving at the pier, monsieur, mademoiselle." Jacqueline let out a sigh of relief. That made d'Artagnan worried. Was she glad to finally be rid of him? That must be it. But why? Had he made her uncomfortable? Had she noticed his gaze? That had to be it. He too felt relieved that they had arrived. There would be no more awkward silence, at least, just a nice goodbye between two good friends. But is wasn't that simple. Ten minutes later, the two stood face-to-face before the dock. They had been at it since the carriage pulled away. D'Artagnan had decided to spend the night at the inn, saying it was too late to go back home now. In truth, he just wanted to have an excuse to watch her ship until it disappeared beyond the horizon. He still could not believe that this was it, that this was the last time he would ever see her. He looked down at the trunks in his hand and held Jacqueline's out to her. She took it and her fingers brushed his. For a moment, both of them could not move. They just looked at the spot where they had touched and remained silent.


	11. Ch11: A Final Goodbye

**A Final Goodbye**

They both jumped when the captain shouted out the final boarding call. This was it. Jacqueline was rooted to the spot. She couldn't make herself move. After a short moment, she regained her strength and wished him well. He said goodbye and she turned to leave. Just as she was about to take a step, she spun back around. "D'Artagnan-" but she couldn't finish. Her hand was seized and he pulled her to him. Before she knew it, he was kissing her passionately. She felt her stomach drop again, this time for a good reason. He leaned back momentarily, allowing her to catch her breath, just long enough to whisper her name. Then he was kissing her again and the world was spinning. She wasn't worried though. Not this time. She knew her world had finally been set right and that, finally, everything would be alright. They stood their, embracing one another for a couple minutes, oblivious to all the disapproving looks and 'tsks' they were receiving, until the captain yelled "All aboard who's going aboard" in some sort of attempt at a joke. Jacqueline finally pulled out of d'Artagnan's arms and looked into his eyes. He was looking at her too and Jacqueline felt as though he was looking into her soul. Everything had turned out perfectly, but now she had to leave. She had finally confessed her love for him – sort of – and now she was leaving him. She knew this would be the last time she ever saw him and it pained her to go. She turned around and boarded the ship. As it pulled away, d'Artagnan watched his one true love walk slowly into the ship's interior, lost to him forever.


	12. Ch12: One Last Try

**One Last Try**

As he stood there feeling helpless and as though his heart had just been ripped from his body and was leaving along with Jacqueline, d'Artagnan realized that he couldn't just let her go. He yelled out to her but she could not hear him. They were too far away. He looked around but there were no empty boats about. He knew what had to be done. Without any other thoughts, he turned to a man beside him, passed him his trunk and asked him to make sure it arrived safely at the musketeer garrison in Paris. When the man began to argue, d'Artagnan slipped him all the money he had on him and nodded. The man smiled. "Happy to oblige, monsieur. But may I ask why you can't – Monsieur!!" But it was too late. D'Artagnan had dived headlong into the turquoise water and was already swimming towards the ship. Jacqueline had heard the commotion coming from the shore and when the ship suddenly stopped in its tracks, she rushed out along with the others on board to see what was going on.

At first, she could see nothing but the crisp ocean water. She looked out at the dock to see if d'Artagnan had stayed to see her off, but he was nowhere to be seen. She thought sadly that he must have realized that they would never meet again and had run off to meet a new charming beauty. One named Lucille or Marie who could play the piano and waltz. She turned so that no one would see the tears in her eyes. "I hate that woman!" Jacqueline said aloud. She had only said it to keep from crying, but a couple of people turned to look at her but whipped back around when she glared at them. A woman suddenly gasped and Jacqueline was about to apologize for her language when she noticed that the woman was not looking at her, but rather pointing at a spot in the water. Jacqueline figured that somebody's trunk must have fallen off the ship and that was why they had stopped. She grumbled at the thought and grew angry that something like this was going to delay her departure. She just wanted to get away from France as fast as possible. She wanted to get away from _him._ How many times had she yearned to be near him, and now she wanted nothing more than to be rid of him and his conquests forever.

She looked back out at the water and a horrified look crossed her face, disturbing her graceful features. There was a man in the water. She looked closer and almost fell in. "D'Artagnan!" she shrieked. She ran to the bottom deck once again and demanded that the captain lower the boarding deck. He was about to refuse, but once he saw the look of determination in her eyes, he quickly did as he was bid.

D'Artagnan gasped as he took in a mouthful of salt water. This was worse than he had expected. He looked up to see how much farther away the ship was and was filled with joy when he realized that it had anchored. He grew ever so much closer and finally was able to touch the cold metal with the palm of his hand. He pulled his way over to the boarding deck and raised his arms up onto the platform. A pair of hands grabbed hold of his arms but he had too much salt in his eyes to see who it was. He pulled himself up as the person onboard carried his weight for him. He dragged his way onto the ship and stayed o his knees for a moment to catch his breath. Somebody was saying something. He hit the water from his ears and tried to wipe it from his eyes as well. All that did was aggravate them more. A soft fabric was put to his eyes and soon he was able to see once more.

"Jacqueline." He breathed. She had given the end of her dress to dab his eyes with and now she pulled it back, smoothing the skirts with her hand. "Jacqueline, I couldn't…I never…I…" She smiled at him and knelt in front of him. "I know. Me too." He looked relieved for a moment and then determination took over. He pulled his hand out of Jacqueline's grasp and took off his insignant ring. He had no time for words. "Marry me." he said. This time, Jacqueline didn't mind being told what to do. She nodded silently as tears once again formed in her eyes, this time for a different reason. A loud applause sounded all over the ship and the two lovers looked around to see every one of the passengers watching them intently with smiles on their faces. One of the men started a lame chant of "kiss her, kiss her" and all the other male passengers joined in. A couple small girls chimed in until their mothers gave them a stern look. Jacqueline laughed and looked back at d'Artagnan. "I think they want you to kiss me." She told him with a coy smile. He looked at her as well. "Well, I would never want to disappoint the public." And he kissed her once more.

**Disclaimer: Ok everyone, only one more chapter to go. This next one will tie up any loose ends I might have put in throughout the story. I hope you've all liked my 'rendition' and don't forget - Reviews are ALWAYS welcome. Thanks for sticking with me so far. I have more stories to update so I hope I'll hear from you all soon! Happy March Break Everyone!**


	13. Ch13: Undying Happiness and Love

**Undying Happiness and Love**

Jacqueline awoke two weeks later and looked over at d'Artagnan sleeping next to her. His eyes opened, as though sensing her gaze. They smiled at each other for a long time, just taking in the sight of one another. They had been married on board by the ship's captain three days after d'Artagnan came aboard. The wedding had been simple but magical, nonetheless. Jacqueline had brought her mother's wedding dress in one of her suitcases, with the intention of staying in the Americas, but now she knew she couldn't. D'Artagnan's family was in Paris and she knew Gerard wouldn't mind once he'd found out. Just two days earlier, d'Artagnan had promised her that he would write to Duval, Ramon and Siroc about everything before sending off a letter to the king asking him to grant her clemency. She had agreed on the condition that they stay with Gerard until the baby was born. D'Artagnan had looked shocked for a moment and then nodded. She laughed and told him all about her talk with the doctor the day before. He grinned and told her that he had a feeling it would be a boy. Jacqueline just gave a knowing smile and told him to think of a name.

That's how it all started. Jacqueline and d'Artagnan arrived in the Americas and were greeted by an extremely confused Gerard. He had been out of the hospital for months and the letter should have reached Paris the day he arrived. "That's why I don't trust express post." He had said. So Gerard was safe and well and so was Gabriel when he was born. As Jacqueline had already known they would, she and d'Artagnan baptized him Gabriel Gerard d'Artagnan, to the everlasting pleasure of his uncle. The three arrived back in Paris two years later, after expressing their heartfelt apologizes to their brothers-in-arms and Duval and after king Louis had replied with a seven page letter describing all of the reasons why Jacqueline would never be a fugitive in his eyes. Among those reasons was the fact that, after his death, Mazarin's evil doing was discovered and every person that he had convicted was given a retrial before their Majesties and the musketeers. They also found out, in his letter, that King Louis was engaged to the cousin of Jacqueline's former acquaintance, King Charles II of England.

Maquenzie was born the summer after their return and Siroc and Ramon welcomed the child into their lives as they had Gabriel. The four friends travelled together to England that year to deliver a treaty that King Louis had signed, declaring peace between the two countries. Maquenzie and Gabriel were left in the care of their dear uncle Duval, to the everlasting pleasure of the visiting Mimu and Andre, and to the pretence of displeasure of Duval himself. He truly loved the children as he did his own niece and nephew and loved watching them as they brought him back to his youth again.

Jacqueline and d'Artagnan said goodbye to their friends once again eight years later. They were going to the Americas for the children's' schooling, with every intention of returning for a visit after the birth of the baby Jacqueline was once again expecting. They never did return, however, as Siroc and Ramon, after coming for that visit during Jacqueline's labour, had decided to settle down with some girls they had met and stayed in the Americas permanently. D'Artagnan always said that he would rather be with Jacqueline than any other person on the planet and, although he missed France and the musketeers and Duval and his father often, the letters sent between them daily were comforting enough for him, as well as his family. He never saw Paris or his father again.

The d'Artagnans settled down the road from Gerard in a large house with an even larger garden. Jacqueline found they had a calming effect on her nerves and went out there often to think and to be by herself. She eventually learned how to sew, to play the piano, and to waltz, telling herself that she wanted to be ready in case some tiny woman named Lucille or Marie crossed their paths. She wasn't worried though. D'Artagnan and Jacqueline lived the rest of their lives in blissful happiness with their seven children, Gabriel, Maquenzie, Lily, Noah, Chantal, Sarah, and Leo. They were visited daily by Gerard, Siroc, Ramon and their families as well.

Gerard married a young Scottish lady named Deborah the year after the twins were born and they went on to have three children, Francis, Joseph and, to Jacqueline's everlasting distaste, Lucille-Marie. She grew to like the name, however, and Jacqueline taught Lucy, along with her own daughters, how to fight, ride horseback and speak like a man – just in case.

Siroc married a girl he had been reacquainted with after being separated for over twenty years. They had been inseparable back when they were just four and three years old and were parted when her family moved west to put her through school. She had moved up to the Americas when her younger brother, Tom, had died during the war in Spain and the two met at a café the same year Sarah d'Artagnan was born. They only had one child, a boy they named Thomas Roland.

Nobody quite knows how many descendants Ramon had. After marrying a Spanish beauty named Jessica four years after he arrived home with her after a short trip to Spain, they had twelve children. Matthiew, Jonathan, Kevin, Jacques, Peter, Robert, David, Eric, Jesse, Theodore and Lawrence always watched over their youngest sister, Lawrence's twin, Jennifer, and she never ended up marrying until her brothers were wed and gone when she was twenty-seven. That was old for any woman to marry but nobody said anything, in fear of all the men in her life. Jesse and Sarah d'Artagnan were wed alongside Jonathan and Lily d'Artagnan in a double wedding, pleasing their parents immensely.

All of the families, you will be happy to hear, lived happily ever after, despite a house fire that killed the d'Artagnans' pet cat, Beth, as well as leaving little Chantal with a limp. She didn't mind however, after a visit from her uncle Duval eased her thoughts. She married a British merchant when she was seventeen after sneaking on board under the guise of a male shipmate the week she turned fifteen.

THE END

**Disclaimer: Ok, so there was a slight fabrication on the amount of children everyone had and what said children did, but who knows. It was a long time ago...for all we know, they could have had about 20 children-if it were a true story. Oh well. Since I don't plan on running around dressed like a man anytime soon, I guess I'll never feel that 'thrill' Jacqueline experiences. PLEASE REVIEW! Hope you all had a great Spring Break! See yah next time!**


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